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Leading Conservative modernisers relaunch reform programme Leading Conservative modernisers relaunch reform programme
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Leading Conservative figures plan to relaunch the party's stalled modernisation project in the next few weeks amid growing concern that the party is still seen as "nasty" on social issues and is not trusted by voters from low and middle income groups.Leading Conservative figures plan to relaunch the party's stalled modernisation project in the next few weeks amid growing concern that the party is still seen as "nasty" on social issues and is not trusted by voters from low and middle income groups.
As the battle heats up within the Tory party over how it should present itself for the 2015 election, cabinet minister Francis Maude and other leading names are among those who have contributed to a book to be published in January urging the party to stand firm on social issues such as same-sex marriage, and press ahead more quickly with reform of public services, especially in education and welfare. As the battle heats up within the Tory party over how it should present itself for the 2015 election, cabinet minister Francis Maude and other leading names are among those who have contributed to a book to be published next month urging the party to stand firm on social issues such as same-sex marriage and press ahead more quickly with reform of public services, especially in education and welfare.
Among the policies it advocates are demanding local authorities make land available for a 3% growth in house building each year; further liberalising planning rules to allow homeowners to build another storey with no formal permission; allowing for-profit companies to run state schools; and state loans for child care and post-graduate education. Among the policies it advocates are: local authorities should make land available for a 3% growth in house building each year; planning rules should allow homeowners to build another storey with no formal permission; for-profit companies should be able to run state schools; and state loans should be available for childcare and post-graduate education.
Tory Modernisation 2.0, organised and edited by the group Bright Blue, brings together older modernisers such as Maude and science minister David Willetts with a younger generation, and it is the first statement by modernisers following recent books by rightwing groupings including After the Coalition, by a group of up-and-coming Tory MPs, and the Blue Book, led by stalwart rightwingers David Davis and John Redwood. Tory Modernisation 2.0, organised and edited by the group Bright Blue, brings together older modernisers such as Maude and science minister David Willetts with a younger generation.
In his foreword, Maude warns that unless the party continues to modernise it faces "electoral oblivion". He adds: "If we fail to keep pace – fail to understand and influence the spirt of the age – we will be rightly punished by the electorate." It is the first statement by modernisers following recent books by rightwing groupings including After the Coalition, by a group of up-and-coming Tory MPs, and the Blue Book, led by stalwart rightwingers David Davis and John Redwood.
In his foreword, Maude warns that the party faces "electoral oblivion" unless it continues to modernise. He adds: "If we fail to keep pace – fail to understand and influence the spirt of the age – we will be rightly punished by the electorate."
The book, which also includes a contribution from former Downing Street policy director James O'Shaughnessy, is being promoted as the government comes under attack from powerful city halls and Tory shires for further cuts to local government spending.The book, which also includes a contribution from former Downing Street policy director James O'Shaughnessy, is being promoted as the government comes under attack from powerful city halls and Tory shires for further cuts to local government spending.
In a letter to the Observer, the Labour leaders of Sheffield, Liverpool and Newcastle city councils claimed the cuts were igniting "forces of social unrest", warning of "rising crime, increasing community tension and more problems on our streets" if they were not reversed. "The One Nation Tory brand of Conservatism recognised the duty of government to help the country's most deprived in the belief that economic and social responsibility benefited us all," they wrote. "What we have today is a brand of Conservatism that has no social conscience." In a letter to the Observer, the Labour leaders of Sheffield, Liverpool and Newcastle city councils claimed the cuts were igniting "forces of social unrest", warning of "rising crime, increasing community tension and more problems on our streets" if they were not reversed.
Separately, rural councils claimed they were disproportionately hit by the cuts, which did not recognise the extra costs of running services across big, sparsely populated areas. "The One Nation Tory brand of Conservatism recognised the duty of government to help the country's most deprived in the belief that economic and social responsibility benefited us all," they wrote. "What we have today is a brand of Conservatism that has no social conscience."
Separately, rural councils claimed they were disproportionately hit by the cuts, which did not recognise the extra costs of running services across big, sparsely populated areas.